Ahh, your reply did clarify your position, which I agree with for the most part.One thing:

Quote:One Satanist proclaiming one thing to be unsatanic will not be for another

I would say the very 'proclaiming' of someones aesthetics to be unSatanic, unSatanic. Someone that understands the philosophy knows there is no right or wrong aesthetic, and would recognise the solopsism in trying to dictate otherwise. With that I agree.However, there are things that are inherantly unSatanic, no matter how many proclaimed Satanists state otherwise.

_________________________ "One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike and yet it is the most precious thing we have." - Albert Einstein
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I find a bit of truth in the post. But, I think you're taking it to a bit of an extreme degree. Just because someone dresses in black and wears baphomets and blah blah blah, doesn't necessarily mean that they are just attention-whoring. I think the problem is more the intent of the apparel than the actual style of dress itself.

For instance, mindless teens (we were all one at one time, I think) dressing in black wearing Marilyn Manson shirts and saying their Satanists are, of course, quite counter-productive and about as satanic as a televangelist.

But, if a Satanist wants to wear the clothes and the baphomet *shrug* let them. They're grown people, usually. Most of them, I would hope, have been dressing themselves for years. While attention-whoring does seem to be one of my peeves I won't criticize anyone for their style. Myself I'm a bit of a mixture of everything. I'm in the US Army. It's a difficult place to be a Satanist. You kind of have to do a certain amount of conforming here. But, I do it more because I like to draw as little attention to myself as possible. Just makes life easier to be the guy that slips through the cracks.

Hmm, I seem to have wandered slightly off-topic here.

At any rate, it's the intent of the clothing rather than the clothing itself, I think. Annoying, but not really a problem, I think. At least not one worthy of much of my attention, in my opinion.

In closing, you're right about one thing. Sleep is good before posting

A whole lot of it goes back to the theories of lesser magic. I've said it before and I will say it again, I pump out as much of a Satanic look as I can simply for the fear. In a town where Xian's rule through fear, they eventually trick themselves into fearing their own shadows. When I entered the midst, Fear slided into place. Those that do not fear me tend to get to know me, as through my looks I aspire wonder. Then, after a few Tarot readings or something of that nature, they begin to come to me for me to make their every dicision for them. Just yesterday, one of my loyal subjects brought in his girlfriend to get a reading, and she believed it just as much as he did. When the sheep stray from the herd, they are much easier to pick off.

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"There is a beast in man that should be exercised, not exorcised." ~ Anton Szandor LaVey

Quote: Satanism does not need warriors or leaders. Satanism needs to be lived and not taught. A Satanist should not be trying to "lead" other Satanists. Satanists are individuals with individual needs and wants.

Satanists don't need leaders, as such, but in a group of Satanists, you will have types that have "leadership qualities" that allow them to take charge, move to the front of the line, come up with ideas, and give directions. Some of us aren't that assertive, patient, or organized, so we might be independent workers or people who set things up in "the background."

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"Gentlemen, the verdict is guilty, on all ten counts of first-degree stupidity. The penalty phase will now begin."--Divine, "Pink Flamingos."

I find televangelists to be most Satanic indeed.They use charisma and manipulation to further their own financial ends, all the while convincing their marks no such thing is happening.What could be more Satanic than that?

_________________________ "One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike and yet it is the most precious thing we have." - Albert Einstein
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Well excuse me for liking Black clothing. I have loved and worn black most of my life, long before my Satanic realization, as far as wearing black to make a statement of any sort their is no problem with this as long as the statement made is not anti-Satanic.What the hell is a Lemming? Other than the small animal of course.Then we have the "Shock factor", It's sometimes enjoyable to see the Xtians squirm and as a Satanist I tend to do those things I enjoy.When it comes to herd conformity I don't guess I quite make it as anything but "A fashion victim" or so I've been told by the herdlings.Dark eveDrkMasterPrince

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"That which does not kill us makes us stronger""The dreams of youth are the regrets of maturity"

We must understand that behind the "herd conformity" stand hundreds of thousands of years of social evolution. "Mirroring" as a way of saying "I like you" is wired deep in the core of our mind as well as many other things, such as agreement with the "opinion of the majority" (in fact there is no such thing at all!). It takes time to get rid of those instincts and choose to go your own way. The stronger you become, the more "social resistance" you meet. You can change yourself, but you cannot change the crowd. Everything in fact, is bollocks...